First Leg v Smokies

 

After an edgy quarter final play off win over Partick Thistle, we face Championship team of the season Arbroath on Tuesday night at 7:05pm. Dick Campbell takes his team North as favourites to progress to the final, with St Johnstone being the likely candidates for the opposition. The game will also be screened live on the BBC Scotland channel. 

Arbroath have had a fantastic season falling just two points short of automatic promotion and finishing second in the Championship, six points ahead of third placed Inverness, and with a superior goal difference of seven, and losing only five Championship games all season. The one thing in our favour is that we beat them twice, the most recent a slightly flattering 3-0 win a couple of months ago.

TICKET INFO

OFFICIAL PREVIEW

Venue H2H all comps

Pld

Won

Drn

Lst

For

Agst

+ / -

Home	21	16	2	3	56	18	+38
Away	19	9	4	6	26	22	+4
Neutral	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	40	25	6	9	82	40	+42

This seasons meetings with the Smokies

3 - 0 (H)

0 - 0 (A)

0 - 1 (H)

1 - 0 (A)

Interestingly, over the final six games of the Championship, Inverness were the team on form, finishing with a flourish ahead of the Play-Offs

			Overall					Home					Away
Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	W	D	L	F	A	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
1.	Inverness CT	6	4	1	1	12	5	3	0	0	8	1	1	1	1	4	4	+7	13
2.	Arbroath	6	3	2	1	13	6	2	1	0	11	4	1	1	1	2	2	+7	11
3.	Kilmarnock	6	3	2	1	9	6	3	0	0	6	2	0	2	1	3	4	+3	11

Last time we faced Arbroath we were on an eleven game run of no wins since we thumped Morton 6-1 at Cappielow on December 11th

CTO Report March 12th: 3-0: The spell is broken: A blistering start by Inverness put them on their way to a first win in 12 starts. Goals from Shane Sutherland and Reece McAlear set them on their way inside eleven minutes. Billy Mckay sclaffed in a third with twenty minutes to go and there was no way back for Arbroath who lost ground at the top of the table with Dick Campbell sent to the stands. As Partick Thistle lost to Morton, we closed the gap to two points behind them with Raith still one point behind us. Away to Rovers next week. That's a massive game now as both sides chase a play-off spot. I said to my grandkid's at the game "that was an emphatic win" At only seven years old, Ava said "granda, what does win mean?" Yes, it's been a long time coming...

 

Well done Mark, great stuff.   

68 clean sheets, that's some size of linen cupboard pal!

TEAM NEWS

Roddy MacGregor has cracked a bone in his jaw and could be out for the next few games. Tom Walsh is likewise after being injured inside twenty minutes at Firhill. Wallace Duffy missed the last couple after being injured against Accies on matchday 36. Scott Allardice made it onto the pitch as an injury time sub for the first time in months, so that's a positive and here's another one, Aaron Doran came on as a sub for the last half hour after taking a knock at Cappielow on matchday 35.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A well deserved April's Player of the Month award for Logan Chalmers who has chipped in with some massively important stunning goals recently in our drive for promotion.

He scored five goals in a five game purple patch starting with a match winning fiercely struck brace over Raith Rovers. He followed that up with a belter against Ayr United, a sweet winner against Killie and a wonderful solo thumper against Queen of the South.

After a somewhat slow start, Logan has benefitted from more game time and you can see why he is highly rated by parent club Dundee United

That's some left peg lad. 💪

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Arbroath are rested but we have momentum which we need to capitalise on.

A two goal cushion would be ideal but if we can take any first leg advantage at all into the second leg at Gayfield then that should stand us in good stead.

The latest in a succession of vital games.

50 minutes ago, Kingsmills said:

Arbroath are rested but we have momentum which we need to capitalise on.

A two goal cushion would be ideal but if we can take any first leg advantage at all into the second leg at Gayfield then that should stand us in good stead.

The latest in a succession of vital games.

I say, well said. Archie McPherson couldn't have articulated it better. 🧐

Being 'rested' doesn't mean much, especially in comparison to the momentum we have built up over the last run of games. Also, I wonder if the psychological effect of missing out after leading the league for so long will  have an effect. This is an excellent chance for us, especially with our new found appetite for goals. They will be stuffy and defensive, but I fancy us to score a couple. Just keep the back door closed!

Edited May 9, 20223 yr by The Long Man

Let's see a good game of football with ICT the superior exponents...😁 goals win games...Arbroath have had their shot and blew it....it is now time for Inverness to shine..🌞

I was thinking last week that I hope we have been practising penalties, in case it comes to that.

I can't remember the last time there was a penalty in any of our games, either for or against us.  Anyone?

🔜 The Premiership Play-Offs continue tonight as we host Arbroath at the Caledonian Stadium

🕒 7:05pm kick-off
🎟️ Get tickets in advance from https://t.co/6z5nBMn9qE
📺 Live on BBC Scotland

COME ON ICTFC 🔴🔵 pic.twitter.com/bNVbNqic9u

— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) May 10, 2022

The only ploy from the off is to attack, attack, attack. The sooner we crack their nerves the better - the longer they hold on and the more they will grow. Put the gasoline on the griddle and burn the smokie as soon as possible. Feckin Simple 🧨

Up and at em boys!

Good luck guys. Press them hard from the start and you'll succeed.  You all deserve a result!

5 minutes ago, caleyboy said:

Good luck guys. Press them hard from the start and you'll succeed.  You all deserve a result!

We all deserve a result as well 😜

Getting big match nerves for this one and unfortunately i am only in my living room! Good luck all

Pitch looks great. A bit breezy but I’ve seen a lot worse conditions.

I share the pre-match nerves but it is in our own hands.

An early goal would help, but a win is what matters however we achieve it.

7 hours ago, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

The only ploy from the off is to attack, attack, attack. The sooner we crack their nerves the better - the longer they hold on and the more they will grow. Put the gasoline on the griddle and burn the smokie as soon as possible. Feckin Simple 🧨

Plan B - Defend like feck and hit on the break 

We started terribly but eventually got going before half time. Better second half with a few great chances to score. Draw was probably a fair result overall but I’d say it’s advantage Arbroath at this stage.

 

We grew into the game and, in the end, were unfortunate not to take a narrow advantage into the second leg on Friday.

However, there is no getting away from the fact that that first half hour was horrendous, horribly reminiscent of some of the worst of our mid season slump and we were very lucky not to concede at least one during that spell.

We kicked off our campaign against our fellow Championship clubs with a win at Gayfield and there is no reason why we can't conclude it in the same manner, especially if we are backed by a few hundred noisy travelling fans.

However, we need to get into our stride much much more quickly than we did this evening.

0-0 and all to play for. Let's make ourselves unpopular with the rest of the football community by ending the Arbroath dream on Friday.

Advice for Friday.  Broadfoot please stop making so many mistakes - quite a few in the last few games.   Chalmers, have a quick look around instead of automatically pulling the trigger.  Everyone, stop hoofing long, high balls up the field (unless there's a Gayfield gale behind you ).   And for heaven's sake, please practise penalties - it could well come down to that.

9 minutes ago, snorbens_caleyman said:

Advice for Friday.  Broadfoot please stop making so many mistakes - quite a few in the last few games.   Chalmers, have a quick look around instead of automatically pulling the trigger.  Everyone, stop hoofing long, high balls up the field (unless there's a Gayfield gale behind you ).   And for heaven's sake, please practise penalties - it could well come down to that.

Broadfoot has probably been our poorest player during the play offs and seems to have run out of steam.

I appreciate that he is vastly experienced but I don't think he would be in my starting XI for Friday.

Looks badly in need of a rest.

23 minutes ago, Kingsmills said:

We grew into the game and, in the end, were unfortunate not to take a narrow advantage into the second leg on Friday.

However, there is no getting away from the fact that that first half hour was horrendous, horribly reminiscent of some of the worst of our mid season slump and we were very lucky not to concede at least one during that spell.

We kicked off our campaign against our fellow Championship clubs with a win at Gayfield and there is no reason why we can't conclude it in the same manner, especially if we are backed by a few hundred noisy travelling fans.

However, we need to get into our stride much much more quickly than we did this evening.

0-0 and all to play for. Let's make ourselves unpopular with the rest of the football community by ending the Arbroath dream on Friday.

I say, I agree. Where and what time will I pick you up on Friday? 🧐

That was a smokie screen performance to lull them into a false sense of security. Allowing the Arbroath dream to be turned into a nightmare on Friday the 13th 😱👻

Poor show, continuation of the 2nd half of Partick game...endless high balls, poor choice of passes and giving the ball away far too often.

Arbroath played a bit of football at times and threatened with more attempts on target, but i felt as the game wore on and they tired we failed to capitalise. 

 

Completely out played and out fought for large parts of the match........a poor performance really

The wind played a part but it’s no excuse. Arbroath caught us on the hop with their fast start and it took us forever to get into the game.

Other than Chalmers’ shot off the bar, we did little in the first half. In fairness, Ridgers was not overly challenged either.

We were better in the second half and created plenty chances but couldn’t take them, generally through off target finishing. Equally Ridgers had to be alert at times too.

We played too many long high balls with the result the ball came straight back at us and we struggled to get guys like Mckay and Sutherland into the game.

A draw was a fair result and now it is a winner takes all game on Friday.

There is no reason why we can’t win it, but we will need to be on form for the whole game and try to play to our strengths, with a lot less hoofing it up the park.

 

More resembled a game of volleyball in the first half.

Second half we improved but just couldn't take any of the chances we created due to a combination of poor finishing and good goalkeeping. I can't help but feel that will come back to haunt us Friday?

 

 

Special mention for the ref too....his performance was unbelievable, literally ! 🙈